MAJORITY REPORT.

1.  That each election held in the Territory under the organic or Territorial law has been carried by organized invasion from the State of Missouri, by which the people of the Territory have been prevented from exercising the rights secured to them by the organic law.

2.  That the alleged Territorial Legislature was an illegally constituted body, and had no power to pass valid laws, and their enactments are therefore null and void.

3.  That Andrew H. Reeder received a greater number of votes of resident citizens than John W. Whitfield for delegate.

4.  That in the present condition of the Territory a fair election can not be held without a new census, a stringent and well-guarded election law, the selection of impartial judges, and the presence of United States troops at every election.

(Signed) WM. A. HOWARD,
           JOHN SHERMAN.

Mr. Oliver made a minority report, summing up his conclusions under seven heads.  From this we shall copy three: 

MINORITY REPORT.

1.  That the Territorial Legislature was a legally constituted body, and had power to pass valid laws, and their enactments were therefore valid.

2.  That the election under which the sitting delegate, John W. Whitfield, holds his seat was held in pursuance of valid law, and should be regarded as a valid election.

3.  That the election under which the contesting delegate, Andrew H. Reeder, claims his seat, was not held under any law, and should be wholly disregarded by the House. (Signed) M. OLIVER.

As a result, Congress permanently unseated Mr. Whitfield, and ordered a new election, thus affirming the conclusions of Howard and Sherman.  This committee began its work in April and ended in June.

The “Law and Order” party did not, however, wait for the conclusion of these proceedings at Washington.  Col.  Buford, as we have told in a former chapter, arrived early in the spring with his company of South Carolinians, and Gen. David R. Atchison had gathered, along the borders, several hundred men to make a second raid on Lawrence.  These all marched to Lecompton, where they held themselves in readiness to act, as soon as a pretext could be found invoking their help.

And now the inevitable Samuel J. Jones, Sheriff of Douglas County, again put in an appearance.  This time it was to arrest Sam Wood for the rescue of Branson.  Jones arrested Wood on the streets of Lawrence.  A crowd gathered around, and in the jostling and pushing Jones and Wood were separated, and Wood walked away.  No threats were made, and no violence used.  The next day was Sunday, and Jones again appeared, but Sam Wood was missing.  He had stayed that night at the house of the writer, in Atchison County, being then on his way to the free States.  Jones, however, had writs for the arrest of those who had been the occasion of Wood’s escape, and the Sheriff called